Madison

A group of same-sex couples filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging Wisconsin’s ban on gay marriage, arguing the prohibition is unconstitutional and has denied them civil rights married couples enjoy.

Police in Barron are investigating the death of an elderly woman who apparently left her assisted living facility and died in the cold. Police Chief Byron Miller said in a statement dispatchers received a call about 4:45 a.m. Wednesday from Monroe Manor, an assisted living facility, reporting 76-year-old Juanita Toews had left the building.

The grievances have been aired, and many of them target Gov. Scott Walker and fellow Republicans. About 100 people showed up Monday to celebrate Festivus in the state Capitol, the made-up holiday made famous in an episode of the television show “Seinfeld.”

A new snuggling business in Wisconsin’s capital city may have closed amid scrutiny from city officials. Customers at Madison’s Snuggle House can snuggle with professional cuddlers for $60 an hour. Supporters say the business helps people relax through non-sexual touch.

There won’t be much snuggling at the Snuggle House in Madison until the new business obtains the necessary permits to open. City officials say the business has yet to pass the building and fire inspections it needs for an occupancy permit.

A couple months ago, Matt Brickman and WCCO photographer Carly Danek were asked to work on a project for the Make-A-Wish foundation. The family of a girl named Tana wished for a video of Tana’s friends and classmates talking about what they’ve learned from having her in class.

A Madison man whose unusual name drew national attention last year after he was arrested for marijuana possession now faces drug charges in Iowa. Felony drug charges have been filed against Beezow Doo-doo Zopittybop-bop-bop.

A Wisconsin appeals court has rejected an appeal of a Minnesota man who was convicted of first-degree intentional homicide in the 2001 killing of a man left for dead along a western Wisconsin logging road.

Vijay Dixit is comforted sitting in a memorial garden created in his daughter’s honor. Shreya was 19 and a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and was coming home with a friend who was driving. The driver crashed.

Crews have recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl who drowned after a fast-moving, icy river in South Dakota dragged her and another man away as they tried to save her 6-year-old brother, authorities said Friday. The search for the man is ongoing.

Stung by the overwhelmingly negative reaction to removing the name of original “Saturday Night Live” cast member Gilda Radner from a cancer support group’s title, a Wisconsin chapter is borrowing one of the comedian’s catch phrases for its next announcement: Never mind.

Former President Bill Clinton and first lady Michelle Obama traveled across Wisconsin on Friday, as both Democrats and Republicans made a push to get supporters to the polls with the start of early in-person voting next week.